They have coarse yellow but tender flesh inside.
The tree is a regular bearer every year, with apples ready to harvest starting in late summer (in the American south, from July onwards.) The tree is good for home gardeners, because the fruit ripens over a two-month period, rather than all at once. The tree bears well even in hot summers.
Horse Apples have a good flavour when fully ripe. Before that, they are quite tart. When fully ripe, they lose some of their tartness, but never get really sweet.
This makes them popular for cooking, baking and drying.
Horse Apples are particularly popular in the southern United States.
Cooking Tips
Horse Apples were used as an all-purpose apple for fresh-eating, cooking, cider, vinegar and drying.
History Notes
Horse Apples were popular in the American South.
They may have originated in Nash County, North Carolina before 1800. Other sources plump for Georgia or Tennessee as the place of origin.